Bathing pool



April 9, 1935. w. G. 00535 BATHING POOL Filed May 10, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Apr. 9, '1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9Claims.

This invention relates to improvements v in baths and pertainsparticularly to an improved tub structure The primary object of thepresent invention is to provide an improved form of bath which is in thenature of a pool whereby the bather may step down into the watercontaining area from the floor level of the room in which the bath islocated, and may stand or sit in the water while bathing.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bathing poolin which the bathersteps down in entering the pool and in which means isprovided whereby the upper part of the pool may be closed so that thebather will be shielded from the view of others in the room in which thepool is installed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedbathing pool of novel construction in the arrangement of a seat in thepool and of conveniently arranged. corner steps' whereby the bather mayconveniently enter the pool by degrees.

Stillanother object of the invention is to provide an improved bathingpool structure having novel shower means associated therewith,

one novel feature of said shower means including a combined hand railand bar spray.

' Another novel feature of the invention resides in the provision in apool bath of, the above described character, of means whereby a supplyof sea salt or other chemical may be kept at hand and convenientlyintroduced into the bath when desired.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformitywith the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so longas such changes or modifications mark no material departure from thesalient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

1 In the drawings:- I

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a corner of a room showing theinstallation ofa structure of the character embodying the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the structure and throughadjacent portions of the room wall and floor.

. Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

, seat shelf, the body of the structure is molded just above thebottomI, are the shielded water Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on theline A4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like nu-- me'rals of referencedesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the bath 6embodying the presentinvention is illustrated in installed position,Figure 1 illustrating the portion 'of the bath which'will be on view ina room in which it is installed, the floor of which room is indicated bythe numeral I, while two 10 of the walls thereof are indicated by thenumerals 2 and 3. While the bath may be installed in the center of aroom space, it is here illustrated as being installed in the angleformed by two joining walls.

The pool structure is indicated as a whole by the numeral 4 and thiscomprises the cast shell which is made up of the vertical back wall 5,the front wall 6 and the top and bottom walls I and 8, respectively. Asillustrated, the front wall curves upwardly and rearwardly from a pointsubstantially midway between the top and bottom walls and this upwardlyand rearwardly curving section has the entrance 9 formed therethrough.At each side of this-entrance opening to the bath are hand rails IIIwhich the bather may hold while stepping into the bath and at thelowerpart of the entrance is a forwardly and upwardly projecting sill IIwhich projects above the floor I of the room in which the bath isinstalled.

Cast integral with thebody of the bath about the 'mid-section thereof isthe outwardly pro jecting flange l2 by which the bath is mounted uponsupporting floor beamsor joists, and extending upwardly. from thisflange upon either side of the bath structure and across the top thereofis a second flange ill for attachment to vertical and horizontalstudding of the wall in which the structure is disposed.

Substantially midway between the bottom and the sill of the entranceopening 9, the front wall 6 of the structure is inset to form thecentrally located seat shelf 44 and upon either side of this to form thecorner shelf 15 which is at a higher elevation than the seat shelf andwhich is bordered by the upstanding flange l6. At a lower elevation thanthe seat shelf I. and above the floor or bottom 8, there is formed ineach front corner of the structure the corner step I! upon which thebather steps when entering the pool. Cast integral with the back andside walls inlet openings l9 "which have leading thereto the pipe 20.

Extending across each side wall and across the back wall 5 is a handrail 2|. This rail is of tubular construction and is provided with aplurality of fine water outlet openings 22 and is connected with a pipecoupling 23 which is disposed outside the back wall 5 for connectionwith a water supply line. This hand rail and spray is disposed at anelevation in the pool substantially level with the floor of the room inwhich the unit is installed and directly below this rail is the overflowoutlet 24 which leads to a suitable waste pipe through the usualconnections. The waste pipe for the unit is indicated generally by thenumeral 24 and this also has leading thereto the pipe which opens intothe pool through the bottom thereof so that the pool may be drained bythis means.

At a substantial'distance above the hand rail bar spray structure 2| isa ring shower spray 26 which is joined with the usual coupling 21 at theback of the pool, and. suspended from the top wall 1 is an. overheadshower unit 28 which is also connected with an outside coupling 29. Thecouplings leading to the shower 2., the spray devices 2| and 26 and theinlets ID, are all joined with a suitable water pipe line and the flowof water to each of these units may be separately controlled. Inaddition, the water from the usual hot and cold lines may be passedthrough a suitable mixing faucet before reaching the branches which leadto the several. shower units and the bottom inlets so that thetemperature of the water may be accurately controlled.

The several valves and the pipe lines leading to the spray and inletunits have not been illustrated for the reason that such features are.ordinary in plumbing fixtures and are, therefore, well known to thosefamiliar with the art. It is contemplated, however, to have the handleelements by which the several valves may be controlled, mounted in thepool upon a central panel.

such as is indicated by the numeral 30 and which is preferably disposedupon the back wall 5 at a convenient elevation. Here may be grouped allof the valve control handles and also the handlesnecessary for openingthe vent or drain pipe 25.

' In addition to the units for introducing water into the pool, theremay be provided at any suitable location outside of the pool, areceptacle 3| having a pipe line 32 leading to a suitable inlet opening33 at the bottom of the pool, and this receptacle may be'employed tocontain salt or any other chemical. which may be desired for use inconnection with a bath. This pipe line 32 may also be controlled by asuitable valve having a control lever therefor located on the panel 30with the other valve control units.

In order that water from the overhead shower may be prevented fromescaping through the entrance opening 9 and also that the bather may beshielded from the view of anyone else in the room in which the fixtureis installed, there may be mounted upon a roller of suitable type suchas indicated generally by the numeral 34, a curtain 35 of water-proofmaterial. This roller is mounted at the top of the fixture so that thecurtain may be drawn down over the opening 9.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the presentinvention provides a novel bathing fixture in which a bather mayconveniently sit or stand while bathing and also a fixture which may beused without danger, as the bather is not required to step over any highwalls but merely steps down into the same in the same manner as enteringan outdoor bathing pool. The depth of the pool is such that when thesame is filled to capacity, the bather, when seated upon the seat shelfI 4, will be completely immersed in the water up to the neck.

What is claimed is:-.

1. A bathing pool, comprising an elongated receptacle disposed invertical position and having top, bottom and side walls, one of saidside walls having an entrance opening through the upper portion thereof,means for introducing water into the receptacle, drain means in thebottom wall of the receptacle, and a seat in the form of a step disposedat an elevation between the lower part of the said wall opening and thebottom of the receptacle.

2. A bathing pool, comprising an elongated verticallydisposed receptaclehaving top, bottom and side walls, one of said sidewalls having anentrance opening therethrough, the lower side of which is disposedsubstantially midway between .the top and bottom walls of thereceptacle, a seat side, top and bottom walls, said front wall beingcurved from a point substantially intermediate thetop and bottomwalls-upwardly and rearwardly and having an entrance opening throughsaid curved portion, said front wall at a point beneath the entranceopening being inset to form a seat step extending transversely of thereceptacle, means at each side of the seat step forming a shelf at anelevation above the step, means adjacent one side wall forming a step atan elevation below the seat step, drain means for the receptacle, andmeans for introducing water into the receptacle.

4. A bathing pool, comprising an elongated vertically disposedreceptacle having top, bottom, front, back and side walls, said frontwall being curved upwardly and rearwardly from a point substantiallymidway between the top and bottom walls and .having an entrance openingthrough the curved portion, said front wall beneath said entranceopening being inset to form a step seat, means forming a shelf acrossthe corner between each side wall and the front wall at an elevationbetween the top of said seat and the lower part of the entrance opening,means forming a step across the corner between each side wall and thefront wall at an elevation below the top of said seat, drain means forthe receptacle, and means for introducing water into the receptacle.

5. A bathing pool, comprising an elongated vertically disposedreceptacle having top, bottom, front, back and side walls, said frontwall being curved upwardly and rearwardly from a point substantiallymidway between the top and bottom walls and having an entrance openingthrough the curved portion, said front wall beneath said entranceopening being inset to form a step seat, means forming a shelf acrossthe comer between each side wall and the front wall at an elevationbetween the top of said seat and the lower part of the entrance opening,means forming a step across the corner between each side wall and thefront wall at an elevation below the top of said seat, drain means forthe receptacle, means for introducing water into'the receptacle, a handrail extending vertically along each side of said entrance open-.

ing, and a curtain mounted at the upper side of the entrance opening andadapted to be drawn downwardly thereover.

6. In a structure of the character described,

a water receptacle, drain means therefor, and a combined hand rail andspray bar mounted within the receptacle.

'7. A bathing structure of the character described, comprising anelongated vertically disposed receptacle having one wall provided withan entrance opening above a line lying substantially midway between theends of the recep-' entrance opening formed through one verticalwallabove the transverse medial portion thereof, drain means for thereceptacle, means for introducing water into the receptacle, a secondreceptacle exterior to the first, and a pipe connection between thelower part of the second receptacie and the lower part of the firstreceptacle whereby material contained in the second receptacle may beintroduced into the first receptacle.

9.- A bath tub, comprising a body a height materially greater than thewidth or depth from front to rear and having top, bottom, front, rearand side walls, said front wall being curved. from a point substantiallymidway between the top and the bottom toward the rear of the structureand having an entrance opening therein, a flange upstanding across theentrance opening at the bottom edge thereof and set forwardly of theadjacent portion 01 the front wall, means facilitating entrance into thetub constituting a step within the tub beneath the entrance opening,means for discharging water into the tub, drain means for the tub andaroller curtain mounted above the entrance opening to be drawn down overthe same and having a bar across its lower edge adapted topositionbehind said flange.

. wmnnm G. DOBBS.

